The Labour Court doubled compensation for domestic helper Milagros Baquiran to €2,000 after finding her employer, Edward James Feeney, breached her rights to breaks, limits on working hours and annual leave. The determination, signed on 15 July 2004, followed Feeney’s appeal of a Rights Commissioner’s €1,000 award.
Baquiran worked in Ireland from August 2002 to May 2003 and earned €125 gross a week. She told the Court she worked from 9am to 8.30pm six days a week, without breaks or annual leave. Feeney disputed her account of excessive hours and said she had not asked for leave, but accepted that she received none.
The Court found Feeney had kept no working-time records and had not proved that he complied with the law. It also found that Irish law applied to Baquiran’s work in Ireland, despite the contract made in Hong Kong. The €2,000 award included €1,000 for the annual-leave breach and €1,000 for the breaks and excessive hours.